The Hummingbird
by idreamedalittlefallofrain
Summary: Eponine/Combeferre. Eponine is ill and Combeferre struggles to find out what is wrong with her, she likes to keep herself to herself and doesn't want help until one day she... R&R. Oneshot.


It was a normal morning as far as normal mornings went for Eponine; she woke up at around 8am, an hour before her shift at the cafe, and shoved two pieces of bread into the toaster. She stuck the kettle on and hummed away to a little made up tune in her head and she jumped when she heard the sound of the letterbox rattle as her post was shoved through. Once she had finished making her usual coffee and buttering her toast Eponine carried her breakfast over to the table that was perched against a wall in the living room, she then went and picked up her mail and sat down to eat whilst she looked through it. There was nothing interesting apart from a post card from her sister Azelma who was holidaying in Costa Rica. Eponine couldn't help but smile as she read through the story of her sister's night time adventure with a bunch of university friends to celebrate their graduating.

Eponine finished her breakfast quickly and rushed back to her bedroom to get into her work clothes. It was a good job that the cafe where she worked was only 5 minutes down the road because the time was already 8.50. At 8.53 Eponine ran out the door grabbing her coat and bag, she could hear her mobile ringing in her bag and struggled to find in beneath the other crap that she had in there. She found it just as the contents of her bag spilled out onto the pavement "shit" she swore, answering her phone. "Hello to you too" Combeferre said, "sorry" she said "I just dropped my bag, ahh, it's your fault if I'm late for work you know" "sorry Ep, I didn't think you worked this early" "I swapped shifts with Marina, she wanted to go out last night clubbing with some friends, look I have to go I'll call you back when I finish" "yeah okay, see you Ep" "byeeee"

Eponine arrived at the cafe a couple of minutes late, "sorry, bit of a rush morning" she said, putting her apron on. "are you okay, you don't look too good" Musichetta asked, it was true Eponine hadn't felt that great this morning but she had been rushing too much to notice, she shook her shoulders "I'll be fine" "as long as you're sure, you can always take the day off I won't mind" "nah, I'll be fine I'm here now" Eponine got to work serving customers, she felt worse than she was letting on but she hated people fussing over her so she didn't let herself tell Musichetta. During her lunch break Eponine went across the road to the chemist and she stocked up on medicine, she took a couple paracetamols to sooth her headache before going back to the cafe, she skipped lunch and sipped small sips of water up until her shift was over. She finished at 4pm and headed straight back to her house. When she got home Eponine grabbed a hot water bottle and then went and sat on the sofa, covering herself in a blanket and switching through the many channels her TV offered. As Eponine's headache started to get worse she carried herself up the stairs and into her bed where she fell asleep, only to awake 3 hours later to a banging on her front door. Her headache had gone but she still didn't feel fully right, but she ignored it and quickly went down the stairs shouting "alright alright I'm coming I'm coming" she unlocked the door quickly and was faced with a panicked looking Combeferre. He grabbed hold of her chin and swivelled her face around as if inspecting it. "Are you okay?" He asked, some of the panic dying down. "yeah, I'm fine...oh, shit yeah, I was meant to call you wasn't I? Sorry" she said, allowing Combeferre to enter into her home. "do you want some tea?" she asked, walking over and switching the kettle on. "yes please, but I'll make, you don't look very well go sit down" he demanded as he grabbed two cups from the cupboard, Eponine didn't want to argue so she went over to her dark brown leather sofa and sat down. Combeferre finished making the tea and then went and joined Eponine, "so how was your day?" She asked, taking a sip from her cup. "not too bad, I had the day off so I spent most of it with Enjolras and the others, I thought you had the morning off that's why I phoned this morning" Combeferre replied, there was a slightly awkward pause that ended in Eponine taking a sip of tea which went down the wrong hole which she then began to choke on. Combeferre quickly set down his cup and began patting Eponine on the back, "you okay?" he asked as the coughing seized and Eponine caught her breath, he continued to stroke her back with his hand. She nodded. The two both picked up their cups and took a sip at the same time, this time Eponine took care when swallowing. "so how was your day?" Combeferre asked, "yeah, fine, just the usual" she said with a little smile before taking another sip. "do you want to get a takeaway in or something and watch a movie tonight?" Combeferre suggested, Eponine just wanted to go to bed but she didn't want her boyfriend to fuss over her "actually, I can't tonight I'm meeting up with Caz, sorry" she lied, "in fact, I best be getting ready she's picking me up in 40 minutes" she said looking over to the clock that sat above the fire place. "Where are you two off too then?" Combeferre asked out of curiosity, "I don't know she's surprising me, anyway I'm going to go get ready so you can stay down here and do whatever or you can get going if you like" she said, hoping that he'd chose the latter. "Was that your polite way of saying you want me gone?" he teased, "no no, of course not, it's just i-" "shh I'm just teasing" he said pushing his finger onto Eponine's lip, she couldn't help but smile. His finger was quickly replaced with his lips as they went into a passionate kiss, before they knew it Combeferre was laying on top of Eponine on the sofa. "I wish I could stay, but I better get going and leave you to get ready" Combeferre said, getting up and setting down his hair which was now sticking up. Eponine grunted, she didn't want him to leave either but she couldn't tell him that she was lying about going out. She stood up, "I love you" she said, "I love you too" he replied, pulling her into one last kiss before he left. Eponine ran upstairs into the bathroom singing to herself, she turned the bath on and gathered some candles. That night Eponine had an early night, and slept for almost 14 hours, waking up at 11.21am the following morning.

She still felt tired and nauseous, although all she had to eat the previous day was her breakfast. Eponine rolled over in her bed and grabbed her phone from the bedside table, 3 missed calls all from Combeferre, plus several texts. She put her phone down and closed her eyes. 'bzzzz bzzzzz bzzzzzzz bzzzzz bzzzzz bzzzzzz' reluctantly Eponine grabbed her phone, putting it to her ear "hello" she said, "Eponine, are you okay? I've rung 3 times already this morning" came Combeferres voice "yeah, sorry I only just woke up" she said sitting up against the headboard. "Look, me and the guys were wondering if you wanted to come out with us today?" "Yeah, su-" Eponine was suddenly hit with a wave of nausea; she threw her mobile onto her bed and ran for the bathroom, reaching it just in time before she threw up into the toilet bowl. She could hear Combeferre saying her name down the phone, "look Eponine, I'm coming round, I'll be there in a few minutes" and then he cut off. It was the last thing she wanted, Combeferre coming round and seeing her in this state, hunched up over the toilet bowl, she hated people fussing over her. About 5 minutes later she had finished being sick, she didn't feel as ill as before just tired. Eponine went and got changed out of her pyjamas and put on some nice clothes, she was still going to go out. Putting her pyjamas into the wash she heard frantic knocking on the front door. She made her way downstairs, "I'm fine, don't fuss" she said opening the door and letting Combeferre in, "I'm your boyfriend, I'm allowed to fuss" he said, placing a hand onto her forehead to feel her temperature. "You're quite hot" he said, "were you sick?" Eponine shook her head, "why did you suddenly disappear off the line then?" Eponine had to quickly think of an excuse, "I, urmm, I suddenly realised I'd left the tap running in the bathroom and the sink was beginning to overflow and then by the time I got back to my phone you'd gone" she lied, Combeferre could tell that she was lying but didn't want to push the matter further because he could tell that she was getting annoyed. "so where are we going today then?" Eponine asked, "well we were going to have a game of bowling then go out for a meal if you're up for it" "sounds great, I'll just get my bag" she said before running up the stairs into her bedroom. When she came back down she went over to the kitchen and got a cup of water, she then discreetly took two paracetamol. Eponine followed Combeferre out the door and into his car, she put the radio on and they pulled away heading towards the bowling alley.  
The whole journey there Eponine had a pain in her stomach that ached, she still felt a little sick. She tried to ignore it to get on with her day.

She wanted to curl up in a ball and cry, Combeferre must have noticed because he pulled over in the car and turned to face Eponine "are you sure you're okay? You seem really distant and not yourself today, and yesterday too" he said, gently stroking a thumb over her cheek. Eponine didn't want to speak because she felt like she would falter and end up crying in front of him and that he would think her weak. She put on a fake smile and nodded, "Ep-, come on we're going to be late" he said, suddenly deciding not to say what he wanted too, he didn't like forcing her into telling him things that she may not want to say, that was a mistake he had first made when they first got together and she got angry and didn't speak to him for a few days. She had grown up in a family that consisted of just her and her two parents; they were alcoholics and used to hit Eponine. When she was 8 she got taken away and lived with a foster family for the rest of her life, at school she used to constantly get told off and, although she was actually quite clever, she used to get low grades. In year 9 it dawned on her that she didn't want to end up like her parents and so she focused on getting the most out of her education, she found new friends and ended up passing all her subjects with good grades. She was now 21 and happy; she was working in a popular café in the centre of Paris and had learnt to speak English fluently. That's where she met Combeferre, he kept coming into the café to buy food and drinks on his lunch break every day and eventually they got speaking, they had been together for well over a year now.

For the rest of the car journey Eponine and Combeferre sat in silence, the only noise coming from the radio and the small coughing fits that Eponine kept having. She could see Combeferre watching her from the corner of her eye. When they arrived Combeferre got out of the car first, he then walked round to open the door for Eponine, before stepping out Eponine took a deep breath to gather herself. The two walked arm in arm into the bowling centre and greeted their friends who were putting their bowling shoes on. They then went and got their own shoes and put them on, leaning down towards her shoes Eponine did up her laces. "Come on then" Grantaire said, jumping up from his seat to walk over to the two lanes they were going to use. The rest of the group followed. Enjolras, always being the leader of the group, put everyone's names into the machine. Grantaire was first up, he rolled the ball down the lane managing to get a strike first time. Enjolras and Combeferre then took their goes, and then it was for Eponine. She stood up and grabbed a bowling ball; she stood at the end of the alley and released the ball down the alley only knocking down 3 pins, she then done the same again, this time knocking down 4 more pins. She was usually great at bowling but not today, not when she was feeling like she did. The game went quite quickly, Grantaire being the winner for her lane and Feuilly being the winner for the other team. After the game the group went across the road to the restaurant that they had planned on eating in. Eponine didn't want to eat anything but she knew she had too, she went for a salad. When she placed her order she heard Combeferre asked "is that all you want?" "yeah, I'm not that hungry" she replied. "have you eaten today?" he asked, "ye, no I'm just not hungry" she was going to lie but then realised she had been with him since she'd woken up pretty much so he'd know that she was lying. "I can take you home if you want?" he offered, "no no, I'm fine honestly" "Eponine, stop lying too me" he was starting to get fed up now, "I'm going to the loo" she said getting up from her seat and walking off towards the bathroom. "Is everything alright?" Joly asked. "I don't know, I don't think Eponine's very well but she keeps everything too herself and she hasn't really been herself lately" Combeferre replied with a deep sigh. "Combeferre, you need to take her to get checked out, it could be something serious" Joly said, a list of possible diagnosis rushing through his head. "hmm" Combeferre replied, "do you know how she's been feeling, maybe I could give some advice?" Joly asked, "Well, I think she might have been sick this morning and as I said she hasn't been acting herself and I'm not sure but in the car she looked like she was in pain, there could be more but I don't know because she keeps everything to herself"

In the bathroom Eponine had locked herself in a cubicle and was crying, having that little argument with Combeferre had pushed her over the edge. She just wanted to go home.

About 5 minutes later Combeferre was beginning to worry that Eponine was yet to return from the bathroom, he reached out his phone and texted her 'you okay in there Eponine?' he sent the text. He then quickly wrote out another text 'I'm sorry for getting mad earlier, it's just you seem so closed up and I just want to know you're okay, and I know that you were sick this morning' he then sent it.

Eponine pulled out her phone from her bag and read the texts, when she read the final line of the second text she began to cry even harder. She put her phone back into her bag.

No reply, Combeferre thought. "I'm going to go see if Eponine's okay" he said getting up from the table, "do you want me to come with you?" Joly asked, Combeferre shook his head "no, I'll call you if I need you" Combeferre walked towards the toilets, he found the lady's room, he realised as a man he couldn't just walk in, for a moment he stood their thinking to himself about what he should do. A women came out of the toilet and he was quick to stop her "hey, is there a young women in their? Goes by the name of Eponine, it's just she said she was going to the lady's room and she hasn't come back yet" he asked politely, with a smile. "I'll go ask if you like?" the women offered, he nodded accepting her invitation.

A few moments later the women returned, "she said she'll be out in a minute" "thank you so much" Combeferre said.

Eponine came out from the cubicle she was sat in and went up to the sink so she could see the state of herself, she wiped away her ran down mascara and applied a new layer; she also touched up her lipstick. Once she was ready she gathered herself and then proceeded out the bathroom. Combeferre was standing outside, "hey, have you been crying?" he asked gently pulling her into a hug, "look, let me take you home, I'll pay for our food and then we can go okay?" Eponine looked up and smiled. Combeferre led Eponine back over to the table were their friends were sat, he pulled out some money and handed it to Joly "I'm taking her home so we don't want the meal, but here's the money" Joly turned round to look at Eponine, "do you need me?" he mouthed, Eponine shook her head, lip-reading what he had just asked.

By the time Combeferre had driven back to Eponine's flat she was already asleep in the passenger seat, careful not to wake her up he lifted her out of the car and carried her up the stairs into her bedroom. He put her into bed and kissed her goodnight on the forehead.

The next morning Eponine woke up, she looked around not remembering how she had gotten into bed. She found a note on her bedside table with a vase of fresh flowers, the note read:

**_Morning sweets,_**

**_Hope you feel better soon, I'm at work but I'll come and check on you when I finish around 5pm, if you need me then just give me a ring and I'll be straight round. I left some fruit in the kitchen. _**

**_Love you lots,_**

**_Combeferre xxx_**

Eponine couldn't help but smile, until the sudden feeling that she was about to vomit was sprung on her. Covering her mouth with her hand she sprinted for the bathroom, making it just in time. The feeling went just as fast as it came. Eponine rinsed out her mouth with some water from the tap and then headed downstairs. True to his word there was a pile of fresh fruit in the fruit bowl, Eponine realised how hungry she was and decided to risk eating something. She grabbed an orange and went and sat on the sofa were she put on the television and began to peel her food.

When Combeferre finished work he decided to go to the library before going to Eponine's house, he went in and found a collection of medical books so that he could look through them in hope that he'd find out what was wrong with his girlfriend. He stashed them in the boot of his car before going into Eponine's home. She answered, "hey" "how are you feeling today?" Combeferre asked, Eponine smiled "better then yesterday, oh and I ate all the oranges, their quite addictive" she said with a smile, "that's a lot of oranges, how do you feel?" he asked, sitting down on the sofa beside her. "Just tired really" she replied, "want a tea?" "Go on then" he said. Eponine boiled the kettle and made Combeferre a cup of tea with two sugars, just the way he liked it. She took it over to him "you not having one?" he asked, "nah, don't fancy it" she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

At around 9pm Combeferre left and Eponine went straight to bed. She had work the next day at 10am so she wanted to get a good sleep so that she felt okay for the next day. What she didn't expect was to feel worse.

She woke up an hour before she was due into work with a banging headache and feeling really sick, throwing up at least twice in the space of 10 minutes. She also felt like she had contracted a cold overnight, she felt all bunged up. She decided to take the day off work and headed back to bed with a large bowl encase she couldn't make it to the bathroom in time. Eponine woke up about 3 hours later feeling better then she had done previously. Her headache had gone and she no longer felt sick, just like she had a cold. She looked at her phone and had a missed call from Joly, she decided to phone back "hey" she said, "hey, Eponine, are you feeling better? Do you want me to come over?" she heard Joly's voice rushing down the line, "no no, I'm fine, I feel better now" "okay good, the boys are coming round tonight if you wanted to come round?" Joly asked, "Nah, i'll give it a miss if you don't mind, I have some stuff I need to do myself" she lied "yeah sure, if you change your mind and need me then just give me a call," "will do, bye" she finished, putting the phone down.

Two days past and Eponine still felt the same, she hoped it would just disappear but each morning she was still being sick and begun to feel more tired as the days went on. It had now been 5 days and she was exhausted all the time and hadn't been to work since the first day she had felt ill, which was a Saturday, it was now Thursday. She hadn't seen much of Combeferre the past couple of days, one because he seemed busy and two because she had always turned down his invitations to visit her or go out with him and the boys. Combeferre had been busy sitting at home reading through various medical books looking for what was wrong with Eponine but he couldn't find a diagnosis, instead he turned to looking at ways to settle down the symptoms that she had been having. That's why he kept leaving out fruit for her and leaving parcels of medicine and things to make her feel better. Eponine appreciated it. In the evening of the Thursday Combeferre had phoned up to see how she was and invite her round to his for a takeaway with the boys, Eponine decided to go out because she always felt better in the evenings although she always felt more tired, but because it was Combeferres house she could just go and fall asleep in his bed.

At 7.46pm Feuilly had called at Eponine's to pick her up on his way round to Combeferre's. She got in the car and within 20 minutes they had arrived. Getting out of the car Eponine felt a little dizzy, she grabbed tightly onto the car door as she stepped out, her vision blurring slightly. "Ep, you okay?" Combeferre shouted from the front door of his house, his voice seemed to snap Eponine back into the world and she gathered herself together before walking up the path into the house. In the living room the whole group of friends were strewn out across the sofas and chairs watching a game of football on the television, beers in hand. "Hey" she said shyly, "Eponine" Joly shouted jumping from his seat and rushing over to her, "are you okay? Have you been to the doctors?" he said, putting his hand to her forehead. "no I haven't, I'll be fine it's just a bug and I feel okay at the minute" she said, grabbing his hand and pulling it away from her head "stop fussing" she demanded.

A few hours later Eponine went to the bathroom, she went to the loo and when she stood up she felt dizzy so grabbed onto the sink. She stood there motionless for a minute or so, she could hear the boys all cheer and jump as someone scored on the second football game they were watching of the night. Eponine threw up into the toilet bowl, someone must've heard her because there was a sudden knock on the door "are you okay in there?" she heard Combeferre shout, she felt awful "yeah, be out in a sec". She flushed her sick down the toilet and wiped her mouth onto the hand towel. She felt like she was about to fall over so held onto anything she could as she walked towards the door and unlocked it. She walked out of the bathroom; suddenly realising she had nothing to support herself on to. A tear rolled down her cheek and she felt the room begin spin. She could see Combeferre and Joly run towards her but every step they took they seemed to get further away, suddenly her world began to go dark.

Combeferre caught Eponine just as she was about to hit the floor, "call an ambulance" Joly shouted, Grantaire pulled out his mobile and called 999. Meanwhile Combeferre was rocking Eponine backwards and forwards as she lay unconscious in his arms. Joly ran into the kitchen and grabbed a tea towel, shoving it straight under the cold tap, soaking it. He went over to Eponine and placed it onto her forehead, the coolness gradually began to bring her round. She could hear voices, when she opened her eyes it took a while for them to focus. "'Ferre, I want to roll her into the recovery position so I need you to move" Combeferre didn't hear at first but then he did as he was told and Joly rolled Eponine over onto her side, "don't move Ep just stay nice and still for me, there good girl" Combeferre sat holding Eponine's hand, "shh, it's going to be okay, everything is going to be fine" "I don't feel well" Eponine said, her voice crackling at the end of each word. "I know I know, but you're going to be okay" Combeferre said, kissing her hand.

The ambulance arrived and took Eponine and Combeferre up to the local hospital. Eponine was beginning to feel better and was sitting up in her bed when the doctor came over to her "Miss Thenadier"

"Please, call me Eponine"

"Very well, Eponine, I would like to ask you some questions in private please" the doctor said turning to Combeferre

"Can he stay, please?" She asked, holding onto Combeferre's hand tightly.

"Yes of course, now, have you had sex within the past month?"

"Yes, but we used contraception" she said, moving uncomfortably in her seat.

"Which form?"

"Condom"

"When was your last period?"

"Urmm, just over a month ago"

"Right okay, I would like to run some more tests if that's okay?"

"Yeah, sure" she said, confused.

The doctor then did an ultrasound; he kept quiet whilst scanning over Eponine's stomach, and kept nodding his head "hmmm" he said, taking off the probe and putting it back in its spot, he then wiped of the gel from Eponine's stomach. "Right, Eponine it seems to me that you are expecting a baby" Eponine and Combeferre looked at each other in shock. "It seems that this isn't the news you were expecting?" the doctor said, Eponine shook her head "but how? We were protected" "well, these things can happen, condoms are not 100% reliable, I'll give you some space but it seems that you are already 3 weeks gone"

When the doctor left the room Eponine broke down into tears in Combeferre's arms, "I'm so sorry" she cried. "Shh, Eponine, it's not your fault, It's no one's fault you heard what the doctor said, these things happens and it just so happens to be us, we'll get through this"

The two were interrupted by Combeferres phone ringing, Eponine pulled out of his arms "you should have that switched off" she mumbled. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered the call, it was Joly. "How is she?" Joly asked, "She's okay, she's awake and sitting up in bed", "did you find out what was wrong?" "Yeah, but I'll tell you later" Combeferre replied, he wasn't even sure if they were going to tell anyone, he didn't even know if they were going to keep it. "Okay, well give me a call if you need anything" "yeah will do" said Combeferre before putting the phone down. "So?" Combeferre said turning to Eponine, "do you, urmm" he didn't know if he was being too forward asking her if she wanted to keep it, Eponine looked straight into his eyes "I want to keep it, well if that's what you want too, I mean if you want me to get an abortion then I will, or we could put it into a home or-" she spoke fast and was suddenly stopped as she felt Combeferres lips on hers, "I would love to start a family with you" he said once he had pulled away from the kiss, "I want you to move in with me, well if you want too" this time he was silenced by the sudden feel of her lips on his, they broke away and Eponine smiled "of course I will"

For the first month Eponine suffered from really bad morning sickness but Combeferre was there each morning to comfort her, he would hold her hair back as she was sick and gently rubbed her back. Each night he would hold her tight and tell her that he loved her as he trailed small kisses along the back of her neck. They told their friends together, inviting them round for a meal which Eponine cooked whilst Combeferre taste tested everything. They agreed that Enjolras and Azelma would be the godparents. Every week Eponine gradually got larger and larger. Combeferre protected her with his life, never wanting her to come to harm. On the night of the 27th September Eponine woke suddenly at around 2am, she felt the sheets beneath her soaking wet. "Combeferre, Combe-ughhhh" she cried as a sudden contraction washed through her, Combeferre woke to the noise "Eponine?" "My waters have broken, I think it's time" she said, trying not to let the pain get to her. Combeferre held Eponine as she slowly made her way to the car, by the time they arrived to the hospital it was 3.13am. Combeferre ran to get a wheelchair and helped Eponine get into it, he pushed her into the A&E department shouting that his girlfriend was about to pop. At 4.47am Eponine gave birth to a beautiful little girl, they called her Inés Odette, the latter being the name of Combeferre's darling sister who passed away just over a year previously and who had always wanted to become an auntie. Combeferre and Eponine got married just after Inés' first birthday and the two years later the couple were expecting their second child.

* * *

**Hey, thank you for reading this if you did! Let me know what you though, i'd really appreciate it! I would like to dedicate this to a dear friend of mine (she knows who she is) and i would like to thank her for the idea! and i know, it's a very long oneshot! **

**P.S. I am currently (slowly) writing the next chapters for my other fics but i just needed to write this and did it over 3 days, i only have 1 exam left so they should be up within the next 3/4 weeks, love you all xx**


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